One Day You'll Come Back Here (For My Help)
by Principles of Magic
Summary: AU/AH, Legal Drama TVD/TO One-Shot: "You can't shove your personal issues into a legal contract, Klaus." "How did we ever hire you with that attitude?" Katherine and Klaus team up to save Mikaelson&Salvatore when Elijah is charged with embezzlement. Includes most everyone from TVD/TO in some role with every pairing along the way.


**AN: Hi all. This is something that has been on my computer forever. It's very different than anything else I have done before but I am very happy how it turned out. It's quite AU and there are only faint traces of canon ships and events. Enjoy! **

1.

All the wives of the lawyers at Mikaelson & Salvatore talk about her behind her back.

"Have you seen that woman Elijah Mikaelson is living with?"

"Co-habitation? How progressive."

"She's barely 20—a child!"

"I heard she had a child out of wedlock."

"I heard she used to work at the gentlemen's club in the Quarter."

"I heard the child is his brother's, some big-shot lawyer up in New York City. Knocked her up and left her behind."

"Poor thing."

"You only say that because you haven't seen the ring yet, Edith."

"He plans to marry her - that penniless harlot? What a scandal!"

The younger wives hiss and the older ones tut and they refuse to invite her to their stupid socials (which she doesn't want to go to anyway).

They don't care about the truth or the fact that Elijah truly loves her; it doesn't matter that he had fought his wayward brother for custody of the child or that the paperwork was weeks from being finalized. And it definitely meant very little to them that in a matter of months Hayley Marshall would be Hayley Mikaelson.

Elijah tells her not to worry, that soon the news of their engagement will fade from the papers; something else more exciting and more newsworthy is bound to come along soon enough. It's only a matter of time, he promises.

Oh, Mr. Mikaelson – be careful what you wish for.

2.

Katherine awakes in her London flat, another 14 hour day before her. She buys a bagel and a tea but only drinks the tea by the time she gets out of her cab.

It's 38 floors until you come to the senior partners' offices.

Taking a seat at her desk, she notices they are changing the large, silver lettering by the elevators. She can see the workmen through the glass wall of her office. Patrician portraits of the four founding partners flank the ornate lettering of _Mikaelson & Salvatore London_.

From her view though, she can only see one of them clearly.

Just her luck; it's not the playful smirk of Damon Salvatore greeting her this morning.

It's the dark perpetual frown of the eldest Mikaelson.

She guesses that if she really never wanted to remember she wouldn't still be working here.

Katherine still has half a bagel to get through before her 8:30 meeting with the client from Sofia.

So to kill time she takes a trip down memory lane.

Back before she had left New York, when Damon offered her a new job and a new life. She would transfer offices to help him open the London branch. They needed someone with a background in Eastern Europe, he had said, but really he had just taken pity on her.

It's not every day that your fiancé threatens to call off the wedding and you call his bluff, leaving the ring with the concierge at the front desk before jumping in a cab to JFK.

Okay, she might have given him just a little reason to worry, but he had clearly overreacted.

His brother needed to go to rehab anyway; the incident at the Four Seasons was only a nudge in the right direction. Just because two people wake up together in a completely trashed hotel room doesn't mean they slept together; just because she couldn't remember anything that had happened that night - like how the drugs ended up on the kitchen counter – well, that didn't mean she was completely faithless and irresponsible.

Elijah hadn't seen it that way.

He had threatened to call off the wedding if she didn't clean up her act. She didn't appreciate the ultimatum.

The newspapers had a field day covering the sudden and dramatic end of the engagement.

_English Rose Katherine Pierce calls it quits with top city lawyer Elijah Mikaelson, more on page 6._

_The end of the affair? London sweetheart Katherine Pierce seen heading to airport …without the ring! _

_Happier Times: Elijah Mikaelson, 32, seen top right with then recent fiancée Katherine Pierce, 28, at last year's Rose Gala._

_Quelle Horreur! She left the ring at the front desk! Click to see more photos! _

_The honeymoon's over as recently merged Mikaelson & Salvatore rocked by office drama. _

That last article had been pretty damning.

The coverage had been so bad that the firm had forced Elijah to relocate to New Orleans for a few years; at least that is what the PR team had spat out to every and all media.

"The board has voted that Mr. Mikaelson will head the new branch opening this year in the Crescent City but we look forward to having him back once everything down there has been settled."

Uh-huh, sure.

That had been five years ago but Niklaus had yet to rescind his brother's exile from New York. If she hadn't left on her own, no doubt Klaus would have forced her out too. He had little tolerance for anyone who threatened the success of his firm, his life's work - not even his own brother.

She looks up as the door swings open.

Rose-Marie has come to tell her the 8:30 call has been pushed up to now.

Standing, she throws her half-eaten bagel in the bin.

It's for the better; the carbs are a killer.

3.

The annual firm Christmas party is tonight. Elijah tries to get her to go; you shouldn't listen to what they say, he tells her.

"I love you and that's all that matters."

She wasn't so sure about that.

_Ding-dong._

She opens the front door to the large plantation house she has come to call home. It's out in the suburbs and away from the city and a wonderful place to raise a child – together.

It's his sister, Rebekah, come over so kindly to baby-sit Hope for the evening. They will be back before one, he tells her, kissing her gently on the cheek.

"I'm sad you won't be there, but also really glad, you know, free child care and all."

"Not at all, Hayley, trust me I'd much rather spend my night with this little once then a room full of grown-up man babies - no offense, Elijah. Anyway Marcel always ignores me at these things, it's all business all night and I find the law to be an incredible bore - I was never much one for the rules."

Rebekah waves them off from the front porch.

The office of M&S NOLA has been decked out in a nauseating amount of tinsel; twinkle lights and an 18-foot Christmas tree now grace the hall outside the main boardroom.

Elijah steps off the lift and everyone turns, holding champagne in crystal flutes.

Marcel Gerard introduces his fellow managing partner to the rest of the employees and their families.

"The man with the plan and the guy with his name on the wall, Elijah Mikaelson, ladies and gentlemen."

When he introduces Hayley as the future Mrs. Mikaelson, a good portion of the women nearly faint.

By ten o'clock Hayley wants to go home but Elijah is still shaking hands and talking with the guys from Contracts.

She slides open what she is sure is the door to Elijah's office, hoping to find a couch or something to put up her feet for just a short while.

She frowns, confused. She checks the door.

_Elijah Mikaelson_

_Managing Partner_

So why is Marcel in here?

He closes the desk drawer hastily, standing straight with a nervous smile.

"He-hey, Hayley, didn't see you there."

"Were you just going through Elijah's desk?"

"Yeah, sorry 'bout that. Just looking for a pen, still gotta sign Sophie's card."

Ms. Devereaux, Elijah's secretary. Her birthday was Christmas Eve.

"Ah," Hayley sighs, "well I'm gonna take a nap so if anyone is looking for me can you let them know I'm in here?"

"You got it, Hayley, and I'll see you Friday for dinner at your place. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Marcel."

4.

This is the third morning that Katherine has slept through her 5am alarm.

Which was unusual, since she usually didn't even need an alarm in the mornings.

She had a terrible headache last night. After popping an aspirin and downing it with a glass of wine, she had finally gotten to sleep.

She better not be getting sick; she couldn't afford to get sick.

It must just be stress.

Opening her calendar, she decides to call her secretary and cancel all her morning meetings. Better to give yourself an extra four hours than lose a whole week to something as stupid as the flu.

She ends up sitting on her bed, finishing the wine, going through old photos on Facebook and shamelessly stalking people she used to know.

There's the photo from their summer in the Hamptons, when Elijah first learned Stefan and Klaus had been in her same class at Harvard Law (and for some reason that had made him extremely uncomfortable).

There's the photo of Elena at her first gallery opening after fashion school and her roommate Caroline, who later became Klaus' secretary.

Well, "secretary."

Back when they were both in New York, Caroline had hopes to become a proper paralegal and had made it a habit of following Katherine around the office and trying to learn the ropes over her shoulder.

Which was odd because she also thought Katherine was the devil and a horrible influence on Klaus, which she was. Yet while Caroline was a constant pain in Katherine's side, she did know a surprising amount about both cars and shoes and could be fun, once you got some drinks in her.

There's the photo from Stefan and Elena's wedding, which looked lovely despite having been last minute and a bit rushed for reasons that were quite obvious in that dress. She guessed Elijah thought he was being noble or something by allowing the young couple to elope in the venue that was supposed to be for their wedding.

I mean the garden was booked and the deposit paid and they weren't going to use it anymore, might as well donate it to charity, right?

They did look cute though, and very happy.

She continues to flip through the photos; the "Congrats on the Merger" cake for Mikaelson & Salvatore, Elena with baby Grayson, everyone together having the time of their lives at the Rose Gala.

These photos are all that is left of everything she ran away from. What did they think of her now? She hoped such smart people wouldn't believe what they read in the tabloids and the newspapers. Would they think Elijah had actually caught her in bed with his brother; that she had used him to get a hold in the firm; that she was just some girl from Bulgaria, by way of London, who never belonged in New York in the first place?

Even if they read every article written, no one knew the whole story—only Klaus, her oddest and oldest friend, her only real friend to be completely honest.

It was the fact that they had so much fun together that had landed them both in hot water. It was better that they were kept separate, two partners in crime locked in different cells.

He would stay on his side of the pond and she would stay on hers.

She had made a lovely life for herself at M&S London: she was sleeping with the managing partner, making more money than she knew how to spend, and – even better – she was well on her way to achieving her life goal of getting her name on that wall.

Everything was coming up Katherine, but she still wasn't feeling so good.

She suddenly felt very hot and very tired so she opened a window before slowly falling asleep.

5.

Damon was worried about Katherine, and not just because as her boss it was his job to step in when a partner missed an entire week.

He was worried about his girlfriend.

Well, "girlfriend."

She didn't like the idea of labeling what they were. You know how these office romances are.

Hush-hush and rush-rush; it was totally just a fling, she said.

Katherine didn't really want to be considered anyone's boyfriend, girlfriend, any-friend.

Still, she had given him a key to her place, so that meant something.

It looked like she had been in bed for days. There were carryout containers to one side of the bed and several empty bottles of expensive sounding wine to the other. Katherine had cocooned herself in several layers of blankets.

And she had been crying - a lot apparently; he sure as hell knew her mascara was water proof at £56 a tube, and yet the whole side of her face was a black smudge.

"Hey, hey, baby, what's happened? Talk to me."

She did not talk to him; she buried herself deeper under the covers and hoped she never had to come out again.

He found the reason for her seclusion crumpled in a ball on the floor.

Apparently she had even gone to a second doctor to confirm the diagnosis; he realized as much once he placed together the shredded pieces of the second lab report.

Katherine Pierce had something wrong with her heart.

Her past was catching up with her.

"They say I should quit if I want to live, kick the stressful environment. Go retire someplace in the country like a horse to pasture. Do they know who I am? Do I look like a quitter? I'm Katherine Pierce, _I do not quit."_

"You should listen to your doctor, Kat, look at all these pills they've got you on."

"Bah! Humbug! Let me die in peace, Damon."

He brought up the number for the local Chinese on his phone.

"Let's at least get some food into you first."

6.

They were coming back from a night at the movies.

He thought the worse had happened when he saw the police cars circled outside his house. Pulling the car right up to the front door, Elijah and Hayley threw open the doors.

"What's wrong? Where's my daughter? What's happened?"

"Hope's here, she's fine, Hayley."

Rebekah was bouncing her in her arms just inside the front door. There were two officers beside her in the foyer.

Everyone looked liked someone had died.

Another officer approached him.

"Sir, I'm going to need you to step away from the car."

"I live here, this is my house. Please tell me what's happened."

"Are you Elijah Mikaelson?"

"I am, what's happened?"

The officer produced a pair of handcuffs.

"Mr. Mikaelson, you have been charged by the city of New Orleans with two counts of felony embezzlement."

The officer pulled his arms around his back, slapping on the cuffs.

"You have the right to remain silent—"

"This can't be right, this can't be possible; you've made a mistake."

"Miss, please stay inside."

"You have the right to an attorney—"

"I _am _an attorney!"

"Elijah!"

"Sir, there must be some misunderstanding."

"Ma'am, are you his sister? You can visit him in county in the morning."

They were leading him toward the open door of the cruiser.

"Elijah, what should I do, tell me what to do!"

"Do you understand these rights as they have been read to you?"

The irony just wasn't that funny at the moment.

Hayley cradled her daughter to her tightly as Elijah disappeared in the back of the police car.

7.

As if it hadn't been bad before, now the entire city is talking about her – openly, in several cities. Elijah's arrest is the front-page story on every newspaper from Charleston to Dallas.

For a while, reporters park themselves on her front lawn. Hayley is forced to stay inside all day, avoiding the blinding lights and the invasive questions.

She can't even begin to fathom how anyone could think Elijah would have actually done this.

It is clearly all some big misunderstanding. She plans to hole herself and her daughter in the house and wait for it to blow over.

Easier said than done.

Within 24 hours, all of Elijah's assets are frozen. When Hayley calls the bank, she finds her access to their joint account suspended. They won't even let her into his personal accounts, old accounts, money that hasn't been touched in decades.

She isn't his wife yet; there are certain rights and privileges she simply does not have.

Her own account barely has $1000 dollars in it.

The women all chatter in the stores and the hair salons.

"How's that poor girl going to survive with her sugar daddy in jail?"

"Oh, Barbara, don't be cruel. She's got a baby."

"She can always go back to dancing at them clubs."

"She could always take the hint and get the hell outta town."

"Uh-uh, that girl's got her claws into him deep. As long as she gets to stay in the Old Gov'ner's Place, like it or not, ladies, she's here to stay."

That isn't entirely true.

Everything Elijah owns is considered evidence in the investigation.

Including the house.

Within 48 hours, more police have come to evict her from the residence.

She isn't family. She can't stay.

Hayley and Hope are now at Rebekah's, but her apartment is small and in the city, uncomfortably close to the very firm which has now been rattled to its very core.

The board is afraid the firm will hemorrhage clients in the wake of the scandal.

They vote to temporarily promote Marcel in Elijah's absence; he will become sole managing partner pending the result of the trial. If Elijah is convicted, not only will he be removed from the practice but the fate of M&S will also be in jeopardy.

The thing is, without Elijah Mikaelson there simply is no M&S New Orleans.

8.

She's back at work, although her boss would rather she gather her sick days and stay home.

You know, because she's actually sick.

In the end, all Damon has been able to convince her is to take her heart medication with water instead of wine.

She's waiting for her 9:15 conference call with the Berlin office. If they didn't call soon she'd have to skip lunch in order to make the disposition at one.

Tapping her pen on the table, she's looking at the portraits by the elevators again.

One day that would be her face for everyone to see. One day that would be her name on the wall.

_Mikaelson, Salvatore & Pierce._

Rose reaches her on the intercom.

"Forwarding you a call now, Ms. Pierce. It's urgent."

"Is it Saltzman?"

"No, it's Mr. Mikaelson."

Shit, the home office. He probably wants an update on the Lockwood account; it was a bit of a mess.

That's what you get when a billion dollar business falls into the hands of a 21-year-old.

"What the hell does Klaus want at this hour? It must be 4am in New York. I'm not even his department, are you sure he doesn't want Fell down in Finance?"

"He specifically asked for you by name; and it's not Klaus, Ms. Pierce. It's the other one."

_The other brother._

This better be strictly, strictly business because there was zero pleasure between them anymore.

"I'll take it on my mobile, thanks, Rose."

She stands to attention, one hand on her hip: her battle stance. Setting her phone on speaker she paces around the room in four-inch heels.

"I'm only answering because I assume this is a huge, huge emergency."

"Katherine, I need your help."

She stops in her tracks, turning off the speakerphone and putting the phone to her ear.

It's not just overwhelming to hear his voice again after so long; the fear in his words has put her back in her seat.

"It's the middle of the night there, Elijah, what's happened?"

"They're arrested me –"

"Who? Who's arrested you?"

"The police, Katherine, please listen, I only have five minutes and I only get one call."

One call, and he had called her.

"What do you need me to do?"

"It's an embezzlement charge. I'm talking millions of dollars, felony charges. They say they have evidence that I've been syphoning money from the firm's escrow accounts for years."

"But that's simply not true, Elijah, you didn't do it."

He appreciates that she phrases it as a statement.

"Katherine, I need a lawyer."

"You are a lawyer."

"I need a criminal defense lawyer, the best one I can get; and I need someone who I know will be on my side."

Bloody hell. He doesn't mean…

"He's not going to help you. This is the second time you've put the firm in a bad light, Elijah, he's going to do everything but help you keep your license."

This was definitely the wrong time to point out that the first scandal was mostly her fault.

"I need you to go to New York and convince him. Today."

"Are you serious? I've got a call with Berlin in five minutes, I don't have time to bail you out of jail."

"_Katerina, please."_

God damn this man.

"I'll be on a plane to New York this evening."

"Actually, I need you to come to New Orleans first. I need to give you some files for my brother and there's someone I need you to take care of for me."

"Some_one_, Elijah? Who on earth— "

The line goes dead and the calls ends.

His five minutes are up.

9.

"So…when did you two have the kid?"

The interrogation room has terrible lighting and she's trying to touch as little as possible. An officer is watching them talk through the bulletproof glass.

There's a thick stack of file folders and five years of anger, bitterness and betrayal on the table between them.

"She's not mine, and we're currently battling Niklaus for custody. Which is…another reason he will refuse to represent me."

"Unless I convince him."

"He trusts you."

"After I sent him to rehab and nearly got him kicked out of his own firm?"

"Fine, let's say he can tolerate you."

"Because if it wasn't for me he wouldn't have gotten his life in order. The Board would have voted no-confidence. He should thank me."

"Perhaps he will…when you go see him and convince him to take my case."

"You have some nerve, Elijah."

"Please, Katherine."

"And now you want me to play baby-sitter to your…your fiancée? Do you just not realize how…_cruel_ that is?"

"The trial will be high-profile, I don't want the press going after her. Hope can stay with my sister, but I don't want Hayley seeing this. Please, take her to New York with you. Get her out of here."

"So I've come 3000 miles just to clean up your mess?"

The officer is motioning to let her know her time is up.

"No way in hell am I taking my less attractive replacement on a road trip to convince her baby daddy to save your ass from Federal."

"I'm begging you."

"I've made a new life for myself and I can't just drop it for you."

"Please, Katerina. Despite our past, will you do this for me, now?"

Why does he keep doing that? Her name is Katherine. He's lost the right to call her anything else.

"Times up, lady."

She gathers the files from the table.

"I would bill you all my expenses but I've heard they've frozen your accounts."

That was a _yes._

"With you helping, I'm sure everything will be back to normal in no time, and then I will compensate you for your time and efforts, I promise."

"Let's hold the promises until we see what we're working with."

10.

She's barely been in the States for twelve hours and already she's boarding another plane.

The jet lag is only one of the many, many annoyances that have her in a bad mood this morning.

Not only is she stuck in the smallest airport in the world, they don't even have a decent cup of coffee.

And to make matters ten times worse Hayley Marshall won't shut up.

"I've never been out of the state. I always wanted to see New York."

Their gate doesn't open for another 15 minutes.

"So when was the last time you were in New York?"

She ignores her, tapping into her phone. She has a million and one things to do: make the hotel reservations, check in with Damon, have Rose forward her messages, go shopping—

—and plan for her 8:45 appointment with Niklaus Mikaelson in which she has to convince a man she hasn't seen in five years to drop everything and defend his estranged brother from going to jail for a very, very long time.

She isn't quite sure on the _how _yet but if Hayley would shut up for five seconds she could think.

"I know I've said this already and I'm starting to sound like a broken record but thank you for helping us."

_Us_, aha right.

She isn't even doing this for Elijah—Katherine only looks out for Katherine. Call it good old self-interest - if Elijah's found guilty, the entire company will be investigated; every branch in every city is in a precarious position—her very job is on the line.

So whatever history or complaint Stefan and Damon and Klaus and Elijah have against each other, this is the time to grow up and suit up because it's only a matter of time before the Feds come after M&S.

At least that is the argument she plans to present to Klaus.

"You didn't have to buy me breakfast, Rebekah gave me some money, but I guess you've heard all our accounts were frozen."

Katherine had bought her breakfast so there'd be something else in her mouth instead of her words.

"I haven't spoken to Klaus in over a year and we left on really bad terms, but maybe I can talk to him too."

Why was she still talking?

"He still needs to sign the custody papers, might as well do that too while we are there. I've bought them along, well a copy."

Hopefully she would clock out on the plane before they were even in the air.

"Okay, I get it, you don't want to hear my problems. Fine, so let's talk about you."

Katherine's attention is still on her phone. Rose is updating her on today's meetings back in the office. Apparently Saltzman was not happy with her ideas for the Lockwood account.

"Your life must be so glamorous: you live in London, get to fly around the world every week—how many cities have you been to?"

Katherine doubts this girl even went to college, let alone knows where half the places she's been to are located on a map of the world.

"Um…so you're a lawyer too? Is that how you know Elijah?"

Oh, for the love of God.

"Listen, Hayley is it? I am taking you to New York to get you out of this god-forsaken town because Elijah asked me to and let's just say I owe him one, but I am not your mother, I am not your chaperone, I am not your friend. Yes, I am a lawyer and I'm still on the clock because in twenty-four hours I have to walk into the office of the head of one of the world's top corporate law firms and advocate for your sorry ass fiancé who should have been paying more attention to the numbers and less attention to whatever family drama you've placed yourself in the center of—so that is my relationship to Elijah Mikaelson."

That shuts her up.

She glances at the arrivals board; their gate should be called any second now.

Hayley is silent as a stone as she finishes her Egg McMuffin.

What on earth does Elijah see in this wisp of a girl? Since when did he trade in the high-flying Manhattan life for playing step-dad in the suburbs?

The truth is Elijah was just used to cleaning up after his brother's mistakes.

The story goes like this (she has her sources): Klaus comes down to NOLA on a business trip and meets the girl at a…less than reputable establishment. When she discovers she's pregnant, Hayley tries to blackmail him for some money to raise the kid. Fair enough, but you don't head a multi-billion dollar company without developing a criminal case of paranoia.

So Klaus, fearing any type of scandal which could lead to a no-confidence vote, takes advantage of the fact that the poor girl can't tell you the difference between a general retainer and a golden retriever and gets her to sign some borderline illegal non-disclosure agreement that basically sets her up in his condo in the Quarter as his full-time live-in housekeeper… a cushy life for her as long as she never breaths a word to anyone that the kid is his.

Especially not the media - especially not their father - especially not Caroline.

Typical Niklaus.

Leave it to Elijah to play white knight and save Hayley from Klaus' ivory tower.

But, bloody hell, you don't have to marry the poor girl for Christ's sake.

This is exactly what she's thinking when the PA chimes.

_Now boarding at gate 35 C, 7:05 flight to LaGuardia. Please have your tickets ready._

How long does it take someone to finish that rubbery excuse for breakfast sandwich anyway?

"Just bring it with you. We have work to do."

11.

Klaus isn't even in the office yet by the time she arrives.

30 minutes later and he's still not there.

"We thought you were still in England; he didn't realize this would be an in-person meeting, he had planned to take the call at home. I'm sure Mr. Mikaelson will only be a few more minutes, I sent the car to pick him up half and hour ago."

She was born at night, but it wasn't last night.

More likely Klaus was still in the shower, hung-over as hell and jonesing for something a little stronger than coffee.

At least that's what the Klaus she had known five years ago would be doing.

"Fine, well, just keep me updated."

"I'm sorry, he isn't usually late."

She finally stops harassing his poor secretary, taking a seat again and staring through the glass toward the main entrance, daring Klaus to come out of one of those elevators. As in every office, the name partners frame the large silver lettering in the foyer.

Damon's smile is completely inappropriate for a business photograph; Stefan's portrait still hangs next to his brother's even though he's been transferred to the Chicago office; Klaus' might just be a little larger than everyone else's.

Elijah's portrait frowns at her, reminding her what is riding on this meeting.

She checks the time again.

This is ridiculous. Where was he?

For someone who has been trying to get her to come back to New York for years, she finds it odd that Klaus can't bother to drag his ass downtown when she is literally waiting for him at his front door.

She approaches Ms. Sommers once more.

"Can you try to reach him again? It is imperative that I meet with Mr. Mikaelson. I've been sent from the NOLA office on urgent business; I've been sent over here directly on the behest of the _other_ Mr. Mikaelson - if this was something I could have discussed over the phone, it would have been discussed over the phone, trust me."

There's a voice behind them and it's clearly laughing at her.

"My brother must be desperate if he sent you."

He's standing there with a thin smile on his face, 45 minutes late with Starbucks.

"Klaus."

"Katherine."

"I thought the world would have to end to get you back here again."

"It just might be."

"Has my assistant offered you a coffee? Tea? Vodka tonic?"

"I'm here on business, Klaus, so I'll skip the usual morning pick-me-up."

He looks sincerely disappointed.

"Well, since we're already running behind we might as well hop to it, love. Please, let's talk in my office. Thank you, Jenna, you're a doll."

The entire back wall of his office is one large window overlooking downtown Manhattan.

Katherine can't help but think he uses this gigantic office to overcompensate.

"You've redecorated."

"I have a meeting at 10, let's get to the point, Katherine."

"I thought you already knew why I'm here."

"Do you really think I wouldn't know when one of our name partners had gotten himself thrown into jail on embezzlement charges? New Orleans might be the ends of the earth but news travels, sweetheart. Knowing how annoyingly noble my dear brother is, I assume some rival firm is plotting to take down M&S and has decided to strike at its weakest point."

For once his conspiracy theories might just be on to something.

"If we don't find the proof, the DA sure as hell will. This is just the type of case they are itching to get their hands on: some big-shot lawyer from up North out to swindle the good people of the South."

"By good people I assume you mean million-dollar corporations."

"The media is already having a field day with this."

"I know," he admits, sliding the paper across his desk so she can see for herself.

Word of Elijah's arrest has reached the _New York Times. _

"Shit."

"Indeed. I need to take action and now. I've already started building our defense: M&S has either fallen victim to sloppy bookkeeping or corporate sabotage. I do hope it's the latter, I'm up for a challenge."

"Am I hearing this right: you'll represent Elijah?"

"I can't have this sort of coverage threatening my firm, Katherine. There are plenty of folks out there - even some of our own associates - who would be more than happy to see the Mikaelsons voted off the board and their name up on that wall."

"My thoughts exactly. I'm…I'm glad you agree."

"You sound surprised, sweetheart."

"To be honest, I thought I would be in here all day trying to convince you to help your brother. I was prepared for a long day at the bargaining table. After all, your services do not come…cheap."

Ms. Sommers buzzes, letting him know his 10 o'clock is here.

"Come now, Katherine, family above all. Do you really think I'd let the Feds have at my big brother?"

"Yes. I know your tolerance for those who disappoint you."

He laughs, placing a finger on the intercom button.

"Jenna, dear, cancel my dinner tonight with Donovan; something's come up. Then send in the rep from the Guerrera Group."

"Yes, of course, Mr. Mikaelson."

Katherine narrows her eyes.

"You're kicking me out? We haven't even talked details."

He ignores her protest, showing her the door.

"You were right to come prepared for the bargaining table, Ms. Pierce. I won't work _pro bono_, not even for my brother. If you want to hear what my fees will be for taking his case, meet me tonight, 7pm, Morton's on Washington."

"Only if this is strictly business, Klaus."

"Have it your way – strictly business."

"7pm then."

12.

Before business, they talk about everything else.

"So how are Stefan and Elena enjoying Chicago?"

"If we merged it would be with O'Connell & Claire in Boston, not that they'd have us."

"Um, no, London has better restaurants, Klaus, don't tell me you've forgotten."

"I know! I blame the rising oil prices and the threat of global warming."

"The Lion King is hands down the best musical ever, this is not even a debate, Katherine."

They talk about everything—except themselves.

She doesn't mention the thing with her heart.

He doesn't mention the thing with the drugs.

So then she doesn't mention what happened the last time she was in New York.

And he doesn't mention what happened the last time he was in New Orleans.

Or Damon.

Or Caroline.

Or anything that would require them to open up and share their feelings like normal human beings.

They are lawyers after all.

So over $60 steaks, the two of them end up talking a lot but not saying much.

As Klaus and Katherine finish dessert, then Mikaelson and Pierce get down to work.

"So what did you have Contracts work up for us today?"

He slides the agreement across the table, moving his wine glass out of the way.

"These are my terms; read over it, _carefully_, then sign when you are ready. You do have authority to sign on behalf of Elijah, correct?"

"Y—yes," Katherine stutters out, nearly dropping her dessert fork in shock, "but, Klaus, what you have in here is—"

"More than fair."

She sets her fork down on the plate, needing a magnifying glass to read through all the fine print.

"In exchange for representing your brother you want him to step down from the Board, leave M&S, _relocate to a city with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants—"_

"He still keeps his shares and his portrait on the wall, not to mention his arse out of jail - what's not fair about that?"

"Forced retirement to the middle of nowhere, Mr. Mikaelson?"

The waiter comes by to take their plates and refill their glasses.

"Just leave the bottle," Klaus orders.

"-and you want both him and Ms. Marshall to sign non-disclosure agreements?"

"Pretty standard, I don't see—"

She flips the paper around so he can read the clauses she's citing.

"—'concerning the biological history of the child known as Hope, with the three above parties to sign an Affidavit of Paternity acknowledging and confirming that Elijah Mikaelson shall assume all paternal responsibility for the child.'"

"Which has already been drawn up and is ready to sign."

"An Affidavit of Paternity? Did I miss something? When did Criminal Intent turn into Family Circus?"

"We are here to negotiate terms and these are my terms."

"And you think dragging a child into this is…ethical?"

"It's business, Katherine."

"How exactly is forcing Elijah to acknowledge paternity of your child business?"

"Consider it this way—by accepting responsibility for the child, he's saving me eighteen years of child support. That is more than enough to pay for my legal fees."

"You can't shove your personal issues into a legal contract."

"How did we ever hire you with that attitude?"

"This is manipulation."

"The way I see it, I'm doing Elijah a favor."

"I'm sure. Just like you considered sending him to NOLA in the first place a huge favor."

"Well, after you up and left he couldn't show his face around here anymore, could he?"

"Don't make this about me, Klaus, when it's clear your rivalry with Elijah is at the center of this."

"Nonsense, like I said, I am doing him a favor: my brother adores that child as if it were his own. Now it will be, at least in the eyes of the law."

"_It,_ Klaus? We are talking about legal filiation not pet adoption. You can't just cast off your responsibilities like this."

She stabs at the contract with a lacquered finger.

He crosses his arms, leaning back into his chair.

"These are my terms, Ms. Pierce, and I don't think they are unreasonable. If my brother truly believes that family is power then he can compensate my time and efforts by leaving his practice and using that time to raise his little bundle of joy somewhere far away from me and this firm."

"So I assume this means you didn't sign the custody papers."

"I don't do anything halfway, sweetheart. If Hayley wants sole custody then I'll raise her one and spare the child completely from ever having to know what a terrible father I would have been. The only father she will know is Elijah, and that is the greatest gift I can give her. Let no one hold the misconception that I am not a generous man."

Klaus commandeers the entire wine bottle for himself, giving Katherine a moment to think over the terms of the contract right then and there.

She doesn't have the luxury of sleeping on it.

Elijah has invested her with the power to sign on his behalf, but now she has to decide whether this is the sort of deal he would be willing to take.

If she signs and Klaus wins, then per the contract Elijah would have to quit practicing.

If she doesn't sign and Elijah is found guilty, well then they would take his license and he'd have to quit practicing anyway…because he would be in jail.

And then what would happen to Hayley and what would happen to Hope?

Not that she cared, but Elijah would care and she was meant to be Elijah right now.

She pulls a pen from her purse.

"Give it here, I'll sign it."

"Fantastic."

"I'll sign it _and then_ you leave here now, pack a bag and get on a plane to New Orleans tonight."

"And you?"

"I'm staying. I promised Elijah I would keep Hayley away until the trial is over; and anyway, I have some business of my own to attend to."

"Then it's a deal. We're ready for the check, sir."

He hands the waiter his card without even looking at the final amount on the bill.

"Klaus, you are going to need to hit them fast and hit them hard, whoever they are who are doing this to Elijah and to M&S."

"You mean to us," he adds, as if she is still engaged to be his sister-in-law. He signs the check with a dramatic flourish and a confident grin.

"Don't worry - this is family business, Ms. Pierce, they don't stand a chance."

13.

"You."

"_You."_

The two women stare each other down in the middle of the hall.

"I thought you weren't a secretary here anymore."

"You're right—I'm a _paralegal_ here now."

Some of the younger associates are peeking out over their cubicles to watch the confrontation. Even some of the senior associates are now standing shamelessly in their doorways, front row seats to the show.

Jenna wishes this wasn't going down in front of her desk. With Mr. Mikaelson out of town until further notice, she has enough on her plate besides babysitting the friend and the girlfriend.

"Ms. Forbes, Ms. Pierce, please, perhaps you could move into an office—"

"She's not stepping foot into _my office_."

"They gave _you_ an office?"

"Yep, your old one. I had to get them to repaint the walls and remove the carpeting though, it was giving me a headache."

The betting had begun; the office pool was currently over $1500.

"Well, looks like Klaus couldn't give you a sense of fashion along with it."

"Actually, you've got it all wrong, it was _Damon Salvatore_ who gave me your office, you remember, during the 28 days he had to run the New York office because Mr. Mikaelson was in rehab in Poughkeepsie."

Jenna moved the stapler out of Katherine's reach before it ended up in Caroline's face.

"Gosh, he is so lucky to have you as his sober sponsor/legal secretary/girlfriend."

The pool was now over $2000 on top of two tickets to the Yankees, a pass for the New York Sport's Club and a Groupon for a weekend on Shelter Island.

"_I'm a paralegal now_, and let's not pretend that your decision to relocate to London had nothing to do with Mr. Salvatore."

"He offered me a transfer, it's not like I was sleeping with him."

"Then, or now?"

The associates were now betting vacation days and overtime. Jenna was taking everything off her desk that could be used as a weapon.

"What could you possibly know when they have you down in file storage all day?"

"Oh, don't underestimate me. Let's just say I was very good friends with Ms. Bennett before her transfer to the London office."

"Ms. Bennett? _Bonnie Bennett from IT?_ That little witch, I'll kill her."

"And then you can beg Klaus to be your criminal defense lawyer, I mean, that is why you're back, isn't it?"

"Why I'm back is none of your business."

The hallway is packed. Work has stalled completely. People are holding calls and rescheduling meetings so they don't miss anything. Jenna is desperate.

"Ladies, please."

It's impossible to come between a lioness and her prey.

"So what did Elijah have to say to you to get you to pick up the phone after five years? Or did you call him to finally apologize for leaving him at the altar."

"How could I leave him at the altar when it had already been so generously re-gifted to your best friend for her shot-gun wedding."

Over $6000 and rising by the second.

"_It wasn't a shot-gun wedding."_

"Like she wasn't showing in that dress."

"Well, I hear Elijah's getting married to a lovely girl so I can forgive your atrocious behavior because I understand this must be a difficult time for you."

She's this close to asking her if she is aware the "lovely girl" is in fact Klaus' baby mama before she remembers that would be a violation of his ridiculous contract.

So instead, she just says:

"And I'll forgive your insecure raving because I understand you must be really struggling with the fact that Klaus fears commitment and thus will never give you a page six fairytale wedding of your own."

One of the senior associates goes to find a manager before someone gets murdered.

"Ugh, seriously? God, you know, Katherine, this office is better without you - _everyone _is better without you."

"I couldn't agree more."

"So make your deal, sign your contract, and get the hell out of this city," she snaps.

"Gladly," she hisses back.

"Ladies, ladies, ladies."

The entire office turns.

"Oh, hell, don't tell me Klaus left you in charge."

The only person Katherine and Caroline can't stand more than each other is the youngest Mikaelson brother.

"Who made you managing partner, Kol?"

"Nik did, well and the Board. I've been promoted in his absence."

"Well, there we have it, this company is indeed going to the dogs."

She will never understand how Kol Mikaelson had even graduated from law school, let alone passed the bar and made partner.

"Ms. Forbes, could you kindly check in with Trevor, I believe he has some briefs for you. Ms. Pierce, you may be biding your time here in New York, but you are still working billable hours for this firm. Which means stop antagonizing my employees and get to work."

"Doing what? Alphabetizing the law library? I only currently have license to practice in England."

"But you can advise to your heart's content. So get down to Mergers and Acquisitions and whip them into shape. They could stand to learn a thing or two from someone as ruthless as you, Ms. Pierce."

Oh, flattery, she likes it.

"Done. But I want a hour for lunch, car service and an office."

"See, you are already showing us those world-famous negotiation skills of yours."

He leads her toward the elevators.

"You will have everything you want, Katherine. It's good to have you back."

As she disappears into the lift, Kol turns to face all the associates.

"Okay, you all, pay up."

14.

Katherine catches the tail end of happy hour at the bar down the street from the office.

She checks her phone. Hayley's had the day to explore the city on her own and is currently on her way back from Ellis Island. Katherine waits for the text to let her know the ferry has docked so she can go and pick up the grown woman she has been charged with caring for until God knows when.

Some hipster-looking youth slides onto the stool next to her.

"Well if it isn't Kitty Kat."

She should have known he'd find her.

"No, Slater."

"I haven't said anything!"

"Answer's still _no._"

"What, not even a 'hello, how you doin'?'"

"Fine - Hello, how you doing, Slater? _No._"

She finishes her drink.

"I didn't even get to ask you anything!"

"Let me guess, you're going to ask me if I want what you're selling, correct?"

"That's how I roll, KitKat."

"Then let me save you the time, no, Slater, I don't, and don't call me KitKat."

"Okay, okay, no need to get loud. I just wanted to catch you, you know, reconnect. Everyone was wondering where you ran off. We at least thought you'd resurface after your name stopped being in all the papers."

"I relocated somewhere else, somewhere far away."

"New Jersey?"

"What, no, _no, _listen why are you even still doing this? What ever happened to 'I'm only dealing to pay for college?'"

"I decided to go to med school."

"Ah. Well thanks for the offer, but no thanks, I'm not into what you're selling. Not anymore."

"What about your work friend? The last time I saw you, you bought–"

"Hush, will you. Slater, listen: I know it's easy money for you, but you have to stop. What's the point of becoming a doctor if you're just going to land your ass in jail."

"Well I have a beautiful lawyer gal like you to get me out of jail! Come on - stay cool. Not all of us like the spotlight, KitKat; don't worry about me, I know how to lay low."

She checks her phone, waiting for her out.

"Well, if you don't want my advice, scram and leave me alone."

He digs into his pocket, sliding a tiny dime-sized envelope across to her.

"At least have this one on me. You were always my best customer."

She's disgusted at the reminder of the person she used to be.

Thank god her phone lights up just then.

"I have to go. I'm babysitting tonight and I probably shouldn't be high around the children."

She doesn't mention that the child in question is 20 years old.

"Your loss, Kitty Kat. Let me know if you are staying in town for a while, we can hang or something."

She's concerned for the human race if boys like this are becoming doctors.

She suddenly remembers she should listen to her own doctor and take her medicine (and not with alcohol, she hears Damon remind her).

"Bye, Slater."

"Bye, KitKat. I'm around if you need me."

15.

She's just putting Hope to bed when there's a knock at the door.

"Marcel—wh—what are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to come by, see how you doin'."

"Come in, but be quiet. I just put Hope down for a nap."

Rebekah opens the door wider and lets him in.

"I thought I said I need some space," she reminds him, coming to stand by the sofa.

"I'm not here about us, I'm not here as your boyfriend, or ex-boyfriend, or whatever I am to you now, Bekah, I'm here as a friend. Just wanna see how you holding up, you know, after the nasty business with Elijah."

Rebekah raises a brow at that.

"'Nasty business?' My brother is in _jail_, Marcel."

"Only until we can get him out. Find him a nice defense lawyer, enter a plea, and maybe even cut a deal before this even has to go to trial—"

"You don't get it, Marcel, there shouldn't _be _a trial, my brother hasn't done anything wrong; _someone_ is framing him, Marcel, someone at your office."

"We did an internal audit, Rebekah, we found nothing."

"Then it's another firm, a rival firm, someone who has a grudge against my brother."

"There's just no proof, Bekah."

"That's impossible. Elijah didn't do this; you know Elijah didn't do this. So I suggest you stop chasing after me and start chasing after whoever is trying to bring down M&S."

"M&S will be fine, Rebekah, I'm working it now. I've been working overtime to ensure we keep confidence with our clients; haven't lost a single one despite the bad press."

Rebekah looks murderous; she's raising her voice now.

"Bad press, Marcel? Do you really only care about the bloody firm? Do you not realize what this trial is doing to me, to my family?"

Somewhere upstairs, a baby starts crying.

"Great, now you've woken her up. I think it's time for you to leave, Marcel."

"I didn't mean to upset you, Rebekah."

"You haven't upset me, you've upset Hope."

She opens the front door and gestures to the hallway.

He takes the hint and heads for the door.

"Do try to remember on your way out, Marcel, that because of this mess there's a baby girl without both her mother and her father. You can keep that in mind while you deal with your bad press and your damn firm."

16.

"I can't hear you, what?"

"Your doctor called."

"Damon, one second, I still can't hear you."

She really can't, she's not just trying to avoid him this time.

Even though their table is in the back, the club is extra loud tonight. Hayley is scowling at her; she has been all night. Apparently she wanted to know why they were enjoying table service instead of trying to help Klaus build Elijah's counter case.

"Do you know anything about criminal law?"

"No."

"Then you might as well sit down and enjoy yourself. It must be nice to finally get the chance to be a guest at one of these establishments instead of…uh…staff."

Hayley does not find this amusing. She watches the woman wander off in five-inch heels.

"Sorry, I can hear you now, what were you saying?"

"Your doctor called the office looking for you. Said you missed another appointment."

"Well duh, I'm out of the country."

"Katherine, this is serious."

"And I'm here in New York on serious business."

"You mean, Elijah? Yeah, I figured something had to be up when you requested to transfer your accounts to Flemming. Had to threaten to fire Rose to get the real reason."

"Isobel hasn't screwed up yet, has she?"

"No, and Saltzman actually liked her ideas on the Lockwood account."

"Well, I'll be. Looks like you don't need me after all."

"I need you. I need you to come back and see your doctor. I need you to keep yourself safe, and healthy. I need you to stop pretending like nothing is wrong."

"Nothing is wrong, Damon. I feel fine, fabulous as ever."

"Kat, please come back."

"I can't, Damon, I'm…working a case."

"A case? What case?"

"The…uh…Marshall account."

"A new client?"

"Yeah…I'm, uh…working the transfer from the NOLA office to New York. Kol's overseeing it all."

"Really, Kol?"

"Yes, Kol."

"Jesus."

"He certainly thinks he is. He's basically got me training the first years down in M&A."

"Jealous of our numbers?"

"You know it," she purrs.

"Come home, Katherine."

She crinkles a napkin over her phone.

"Oh, oh no, bad reception, Damon, I'm losing you."

"Katherine…"

"Gotta go, bye!"

"Katherine!"

She ends the call and saunters back to her table where Hayley is still frowning ungratefully despite the outrageously expensive alcohol in front of her.

17.

"You're on speaker."

"Is anyone else there?"

"No, but I'm painting my nails and I need my hands. So, how goes the case building?"

"Difficult. It's like a crime scene; in terms of evidence, everything has been scrubbed clean except for the incriminating stuff. I've been over the audits, the reviews, the interviews, the police reports; the trail keeps leading to Elijah. The thing is, it's almost too obvious, too direct, like someone's been dropping bread crumbs for the Feds."

"So this is a set up."

"It doesn't matter if we can't find any fingerprints."

"Well, can you?"

"Yes, but I need time."

She pauses painting, the brush mid-stroke.

"We don't have time, Klaus, the trial's on Friday."

"Me and everyone on the East Coast knows it, Katherine. That's why I need you here, there're some people I think we need to rough up. I need you to help me. You always had a way with persuading people."

She screws the nail polish closed again.

"I can't, Klaus, I'm in the middle of a project for Kol."

"Kol will do what I tell him to do. I've already told him to transfer you down here."

"Okay, I can't because Elijah told me to keep Hayley away."

"Then we'll set her up in Baton Rouge or someplace, close but out of the way. The press will never know."

He's driving a hard bargain, which means he must be desperate.

"I can't because I promised myself I wouldn't get any more tangled in Elijah's life."

"Ah, well, it's a little late for that, love, and if you are worried there's unfinished business between you two then, let me tell you, sweetheart, he's moved on."

She grinds her teeth, slowing unscrewing the top again.

"Just because he's laid up in orange doesn't mean he can wiggle out of an apology."

"And what exactly does he need to apologize for? If memory serves, you were the one who left your engagement ring with the concierge and fled town with Damon Salvatore."

"I did not flee _with _him; he offered me a job back in London, you know that. I sure as hell wasn't going to stay in New York for Elijah after he threatened to call off the wedding if I didn't 'behave' like I was a little girl or something."

"You were awfully naughty."

"He should have believed me when I told him nothing happened."

"Nothing in the bedroom but something definitely happened in the kitchen judging by the lines on the counter the next morning."

"I didn't mean for that to happen. I told Elijah as much. He should have believed me, trusted me."

"Elijah was always the protective one; I'm sure he didn't appreciate you buying his baby brother illegal drugs."

"I said I didn't mean for it to happen."

"Right, you didn't mean to buy an ounce and you didn't mean to bring it to my room—"

"I didn't mean for you to relapse."

"Yes, well, it happened and I almost lost my company, so thank you for that."

"Maybe someone should have told me they had a drug problem!"

"Isn't that what Elijah yelled at you the night of the rehearsal dinner?"

"Screw you, Klaus."

"That's the spirit, love. Now hop on a plane and come join me down here."

Her hands are sweaty as she clutches the tiny bottle.

The sooner this case is closed, the sooner she can go home and leave all this nonsense behind—again.

And if Klaus needs her to crack a few eggs to get the job done, then she'll put on her apron and grab her frying pan.

"So, Ms. Pierce, can I expect you here tomorrow morning? I need you, darling. Mikaelson & Salvatore needs their warrior princess on the case."

She takes a few minutes to think, then aims the fan onto her scarlet toes.

"My nails have to dry first."

"Fantastic. I'll have a car meet you at the airport."

18.

_Dearest sister,_

_I cannot express my gratitude enough that you have taken my sweet little Hope under your roof with as much love as if she were your own. The few calls I am allowed I talk with Hayley and she too cannot express her thanks, although she misses Hope terribly. However, we both agree that it is for the best she remains away from all of this. With the trial on Friday, the papers and the news will swarm for anything they can spin to fuel their sensationalist appetites. I tell you this to warn you; they will likely come after you as well. Niklaus visits every day and keeps me updated. He has kept our interaction strictly professional, if not a bit cold, and has yet to mention anything related to Hope or Hayley. Perhaps this says more about his dedication to his job and less about his feelings toward me. To be honest, the case does not seem to be going well. Klaus has even brought Katherine aboard, and despite how you may feel about her, I have confidence knowing she is putting her ruthless cunning towards a positive endeavor…for once. Likely Marcel has kept you updated, but we have come up with a dearth of evidence toward my acquittal. I do not mean to worry you, dear Rebekah, only to prepare you in case of the worst. Stay strong and give Hope my love,_

_Always and forever,_

_Elijah_

_My darling Hayley,_

_Our time together on the phone is never enough so I write you as well. I do not know where they have relocated you, so I send this letter in the care of Katherine with the faith that it will find its way to you. I hear Rebekah keeps you updated on Hope and I yearn to be back in our home, the three of us, this unfortunate situation long behind us. Although she is a live wire in a rainstorm, Katherine has an unbridled sense of self that is a force to be reckoned with when able to be harnessed; I am not at all surprised it appears my brother has been able to do just that. If you get the chance, try to find the kindhearted girl underneath the callous lawyer; down there deep is the Katerina I once knew and I hope you will be able to as well. Both of us are different people now, but she would not have come here and be helping you, Hope, and me if she didn't remember that once we shared something special. But now my love finds a home in you, darling Hayley, so find strength in the knowledge that my brother and Katherine, two people who care more than they will ever admit, are fighting for us. _

_Until we meet again,_

_Your Elijah_

_Katherine-_

_Please ensure that the enclosed letter finds it way to Hayley and thank you for putting up with her, with my brother, and especially with me._

_EM_

19.

Katherine watches from the steps of the courthouse as Klaus appeases the press.

"Sir, sir, can you tell us what plea you will be entering on behalf of Mr. Mikaelson?"

"Non-guilty; my client has simply found himself ensnared by the dark riptides that sometimes run underneath the world of corporate law. I fully intend to expose whoever has orchestrated what can only be described as corporate sabotage and I have entered a counter claim against the City of New Orleans for the way they have handled both the arrest and detention of my client. Thank you."

"And you have decided to take this to court and not accept the settlement deal which was announced last week?"

"Accepting any part of that deal would be the true injustice, ma'am."

"And your client happens to also be your brother…any comment on that?"

"Only that we've always looked out for each other since we were young, why stop now?"

"Thank you, Mr. Mikaelson. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Andie Star, live from the Orleans District Courthouse for Channel 6 Evening News."

Katherine ushers him into the waiting car as they return to the office.

"You've worked them up into a frenzy."

"They've done that to themselves," Klaus warns, punching into his phone. "Just you wait; they'll be gunning for blood tomorrow when they catch wind I'm stalling."

"We just need a few more days. I've interviewed everyone in Finance, they all check out. They're good, smart people; if even a cent was moved off the books they would have known – they would have definitely known if it went missing in the way the DA has entered it."

"What does that tell us then?"

"It tells us that the money didn't go missing. $40 million dollars and all of it must have stayed in the firm, just tucked away in different places a little at a time until it was a big enough loss that someone noticed."

"And who was that someone?"

"The report says one of the clients had suspicions-"

"Suspicions about some trust that had been collecting dust for decades? No, no, this wasn't some high profile account; there was no reason for anyone to be watching the clock - that money had just been sitting in escrow for years. This wasn't some chance discovery of malfeasance; someone had to point the Feds where to look."

Katherine looks out the window as they enter the business district.

"Well, it's a clever plan, whoever set it up, the syphoning I mean. It would have taken planning, time - like moving your food around the plate to make it look like you've eaten some, except instead of peas and mash it's 40 million."

Klaus finally pockets his phone in frustration.

"Yes, but where was it moved, Katherine? We need something real, not dinner table metaphors."

She doesn't know.

The car ride back is tense; they remain silent the rest of the way.

Marcel Gerard greets them as soon as they step off the lift.

"Mr. Mikaelson, Ms. Pierce, I would say it's a pleasure to have you back with us but given the circumstances—"

"Given the circumstances, Marcel, you should be finding a plaster large enough to cover the gushing wound that will be inflicted on this practice starting tomorrow. As soon as the trial hits the media you will be bleeding out clients faster than you can beg them to stay."

Marcel looks anything but worried, which worries Katherine.

"Actually, Mr. Mikaelson, with all due respect, our clients aren't going anyway. I've called every one in, sat down with every single one. They know me personally now, they know I'm good for it, M&S is still good for it. One bad apple won't ruin the whole batch."

Klaus shoves Marcel into the glass wall of the boardroom. Katherine tries to step between them.

"Klaus, put him down."

"You listen to me, Marcel Gerard. Don't for a second think that my brother's absence is an opportunity for you to try on the crown; this firm is my brother's, it was built from the ground up by my brother, and it will continue to be here when my brother is a free man once more."

"Klaus, please, not here."

"Now Elijah hired you and he has a good head on his shoulders which means he must have known what he was doing. But don't for a second think I won't go over his head and fire you today, Mr. Gerard."

Marcel clutches at his tie, trying to get Klaus to loosen his grip and return his dignity.

"Please, Mr. Mikaelson, I apologize for my comment, I misspoke."

"You most certainly did. As Director of Finance, that money went missing on your watch. If there's a bad apple among us, it's you, Marcel. So go, get back to combing the books—because if you were doing your job right in the first place, none of us would be in this mess now."

Klaus drops him. Marcel clears his throat, trying to compose himself in front of the associates. He scurries back to his office and Klaus calls after him.

"And you tell your clients that if they have any concerns about the future of this practice, they can make an appointment with Ms. Devereaux because Elijah Mikaelson will be back in this office Monday morning."

Katherine is impressed and just a little confused.

"I thought you wanted Elijah to stop practicing and move far away if you won the case."

"_When_ I win the case, Ms. Pierce, and the contract will have to be amended now, won't it?"

"Change of heart?"

"Change of perspective. Five years and I've never really seen what Elijah has built here all on his own. Now he's gone and it's up to me to protect it; I can't have the termites crawling out of the woodwork in my brother's absence. Unless I send Kol down here to manage—"

"Oh god."

"My sentiment exactly, but unless I send another Mikaelson to serve as managing partner I'll have every Marcel Gerard from here to Dallas trying to steal our clients, or worse, tearing this firm apart in a war for name partner. While the king is away let the peasants play as long as they don't conjure up royal aspirations, then off with their heads."

Something clicks in Katherine's own head.

"Klaus, that's it. You're a genius."

"Yes, I've been told, but what are you getting at?"

"Elijah is being framed, but not by another firm."

"Not corporate sabotage?"

"Oh, it is," she grins, "but what I'm saying is this coup is being led by someone close to the crown."

Klaus looks unimpressed.

"An internal take-down? Katherine, you don't think I've thought of that? It's a dead end; we have no names, no evidence, and the trial's tomorrow."

"Don't tell me you're thinking of taking the settlement."

"Not one bit, but bloody hell, I need a name or a shred of evidence or I've got nothing, no choice."

"We've been over everything, there's nothing we haven't been through. What could we be missing?"

There's a ding from behind them as the elevator opens.

"Rebekah," Klaus breathes, "what are you doing here?"

"I think I may be able to help."

20.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Mikaelson, but your counter suit suffers from a clear lack of foundation. If you cannot produce something substantial, I cannot allow it to be entered on the record."

"I would like to point out, your honor, that Mr. Mikaelson's eleventh hour counterclaim against the DA's office is nothing more than a Hail Mary attempt to stall the trial."

"Thank you, Mr. Shane, but I will be the judge of that."

They're in the chambers of the district judge. The trial is set to begin in less than an hour, and Klaus is trying everything to indeed stall the trial just a little longer.

Katherine needs time. She has flown in M&S London's top financial expert, Meredith Fell – she was the only one Katherine trusted on such an important case especially so late in the game.

They had gotten to work last night, as soon as Rebekah had filled them in. Apparently the youngest Mikaelson had taken Hope out to Baton Rouge to join her mother; she was planning to stay with Hayley for support during the trial. Somehow or other they had got to talking about Marcel, at which time Hayley remembered her odd interaction with him at the Christmas party.

"I guess I didn't think anything of it at the time, he said he was just looking for a pen or something."

"But he was going through Elijah's drawers, in his office, are you sure?"

"Yeah, no one else was around, everyone was down the hall at the party."

Rebekah had driven back into town. She still had a key to Marcel's apartment that he had given her when they were dating. She didn't know what she was looking for and she was indeed looking for a needle in a haystack of needles; there were piles of folders and papers and notebooks everywhere.

Finally she found something, a name on a client list that didn't quite sound right.

Rebekah Mikaelson may have never gone to law school, but with three legal nerds for brothers she was sure to learn a thing or two about corporate law.

She pulled out her tablet and began to look into one of M&S's clients: Silas Corp.

It didn't take her long to realize Silas Corp. didn't exist. It never existed, it was a shell company located in Nova Scotia created a few years ago for no apparent reason but to sit around and be forgotten and yet apparently M&S was managing several offshore accounts for Silas Corp., including an escrow account for several overseas properties totaling a little over $40 million.

Bingo.

The name on the paper work was Marcel Gerard.

She went straight to her brother.

They had it. They had what they needed.

When Klaus heard what Rebekah had found he knew they weren't out of the water just yet; there was still a chance the judge would throw out the evidence based on Rebekah's shady obtainment of the documents.

_Fruit of the poison tree_, was the phrase; how's that for a legal food metaphor.

That's where Ms. Fell came in; now that they knew what they were looking for, they needed her to find it again, legally this time.

Klaus wasn't going to take any chances, but he would take a little more time.

"Please, your honor, I'm not requesting a complete postponement, I'm simply asking for an hour or two delay."

"I can't grant a trial delay without a reason, Mr. Mikaelson, I have already told you as much. Keep pressing and I will have to consider finding you in contempt of this court."

Klaus wants to punch the smile off Atticus Shane's smug face; he hates civil servants.

He jiggles his phone in his hand. Any moment now Katherine would text him to let him know they had found it.

Hopefully.

"Mr. Mikaelson, if there is nothing else, I suggest you go be with your client and prepare for the entering of the pleas."

Klaus shifts anxiously but he didn't budge.

"Your honor—"

"Your honor, this is ridiculous," Atticus huffs.

Klaus ignores him and continues all but begging.

"Please, a 30 minute postponement, that's all I am asking."

"Mr. Mikaelson, for the last time, you need evidence—"

He looks down at his phone…any second now…

_Ping._

"I have evidence!"

The judge stares at him blankly.

"I have evidence, one second and I will pull it up."

He brings up the attachment on his phone, shoving it into the judge's hands.

"What am I looking at, Mr. Mikaelson?"

"More than enough to not only postpone this trial, but to drop the charges all together."

"Mr. Mikaelson…"

"What you have there are the numbers for the escrow account the DA has entered into evidence, but what I can prove to you is that there was no escrow account to begin with for my client to syphon funds from. The escrow in question was holding over $40 million on behalf of one of our clients, Silas Corp. which, if you flip to the right, my team has unearthed is nothing more than a shell company created by none other than Marcel Gerard, Director of Finance for M&S himself."

"Internal sabotage, Mr. Mikaelson? Are you saying your client was framed?"

"The king is dead, long live the king. Mr. Gerard would replace my client as managing partner if he were to be found guilty. Then he'd use the conviction to compel the Board to force a vote of no-confidence and in a few years we'd have Mikaelson, Salvatore & Gerard, one less Mikaelson and one more corporate criminal."

The judge looks at him doubtfully over her glasses.

"Speculation, but I will allow it in light of this new evidence."

She pushes her glasses up her nose to get a better look at the documents.

"I will need the originals."

"They are already on their way as we speak."

Atticus Shane has gone red and pale at the same time.

"But how can you prove that your client Elijah Mikaelson had no knowledge of this?"

"Look at the date of incorporation; Marcel Gerard created Silas Corp. years before he was even hired by Elijah at M&S. When he transferred in, the shell company was just another name on the list of clients he was bringing in with him."

"Then where's the money? The $40 million, where is it?"

"It never existed. It was never sitting in escrow because there was no escrow. My client has been charged with a crime that was never committed. Mr. Gerard, on the other hand, is looking at several felony charges, and many, many, years in jail."

She pulls her spectacles off her face, handing the phone to Atticus Shane.

"Seems like you'll get your front page trial, Mr. Shane, but it won't be against Elijah Mikaelson. I'm dropping the charges and I'll make sure the FBI gets the message as well. Mr. Mikaelson, I will need the originals of those documents, but it seems you've got your wish: there will be no trial today."

21.

Elijah is just picking up his belongings at the clerk's desk when his siblings find him.

"And here's my representation."

The clerk slides his watch and wallet under the plexiglass.

"You mean here's your brother, come to bail your arse out of jail."

Elijah straps his watch back on his wrist just in time to embrace his brother.

"Niklaus."

"Elijah."

"And what am I? The intern?"

He hugs his sister too right there in the foyer of county.

"The way I hear it, you're the heroine who saved the day."

Rebekah gives him one of her rare smiles.

Klaus hurries them along.

"Come on, Elijah. There's a car outside, surrounded by press unfortunately but I've already told them you'll release a statement later this evening and they'll just have to wait; you have a family to reunite with after all."

Niklaus was right about the press. They push through the crowd toward the waiting car.

"Mr. Mikaelson, thoughts on the news that the DA's office is dropping all charges?"

"Sir, sir, can you tell us anything about this last minute dismissal?"

"Mr. Mikaelson, what do you think will be the damage, if any, to your firm in the wake of this case?"

"Sir, any comment on the recent arrest of your colleague Marcel Gerard?"

"Mr. Mikaelson, what do you intend to do now that you are a free man?"

That last one was easy.

_I'm going home._

22.

Elijah isn't quite sure how he feels about the idea of a victory party, as Rebekah puts it, but it appears to be just what everyone needs.

He'd rather think of it as a family reunion.

Hayley isn't too thrilled that Elijah plans to be back in the office Monday morning but he makes the case that the practice needs him, especially now.

"And once I'm satisfied Jackson has settled in as the new managing partner then we will take a long vacation, all three of us."

He bounces Hope in his arms; she is being adorable and everyone wants her in their photos.

Everyone but Klaus, who keeps his distance from Hayley in general.

Katherine's doing the same with Elijah.

Katherine isn't quite sure why she's still here, not just at this family shindig, in New Orleans still at all. She makes for the door but Klaus intercepts, cutting her off in the foyer to offer her a drink.

"Vodka tonic?"

"I was actually on my way out, cab's outside."

"Don't tell me you're leaving."

He actually looks hurt.

"I've got to check out of my hotel then it's the airport for me. Meredith's back in London already and I should be too."

He looks at her intently, a drink in each hand.

"Stay."

"What, here?"

"In the States. Come back to New York, Katherine. Come direct our Mergers team; we'll pay for the relocation, I'll double your salary, signing bonus, everything, just come back."

"Now who's the persuasive one?"

"Is that a yes? I can have the official offer on your desk Monday morning."

"Oh no, another one of your contracts. I'm going to go blind trying to read through all the fine print."

"Katherine…"

"I'll think about it."

"You let me know, and if that Damon Salvatore gives you a hard time, just remind him who stole our Helen in the first place. Who knows, one day he just might be working for Mikaelson, Salvatore & Pierce."

_Mikaelson, Salvatore & Pierce_: She likes the sound of that.

He hands her the tumbler.

"For the road."

22.

"I know I said that, but with an actual offer on the table I'm really thinking about moving back."

"But I need you here with me, Katherine."

She has the phone pressed between her cheek and her shoulder as she zips up her suitcase on the hotel bed.

She's feeling a bit flush; it's way too hot in this town, definitely time to check out.

"Nonsense, Damon. You yourself said you were impressed with Flemming's work and if Saltzman approves, she's a keeper. Isobel deserves my position and I know you'll work well with her."

"I'd rather look at you all day."

"Careful, Damon, or you'll have HR down your throat over sexual harassment again," she teases.

She peels off her jacket (it's too hot for long sleeves) and throws it on top of her carry on.

"Katherine, stay in London."

She closes the door to her room, checking that she has her plane ticket and passport on hand.

"I did, for five years, and now it's time for me to go back."

"Then what about us, Katherine, it's not much of an office fling if you aren't in the office anymore."

"_Us_, Damon? Lately 'us' consists of you calling me every night to see if I've downed my medicine cocktail."

"And have you been? Your doctor keeps calling me; you've missed another appointment. Apparently you put me down as your emergency contact?"

"I was ready to take our relationship to the next level."

She can hear him groan on the other end of the line. Katherine laughs as she waits for the elevator down to the lobby.

The air conditioner must be broken; it's so hot she's sweating through her shirt.

"Katherine, what you need is rest and relaxation; you shouldn't be throwing yourself into another stressful situation. London is where you belong, New York has too many temptations."

"I'm a big girl, Damon, I can take care of myself."

"I'm not saying you can't, I'm just saying I want you here with me. And that's not Damon your boss saying this, it's Damon your friend, your _very concerned friend._"

"I don't have friends."

"Katherine, babe, _please_—"

"Ah, ah, Damon, I have another call coming in."

"Katherine—"

"Yep, yep, I know, love you too, bye!"

The elevator is taking too long so she starts down the stairs of the tiny boutique hotel.

"Klaus Mikaelson, why am I not surprised?"

"Have you considered my offer?"

"It's been less than an hour."

"And?"

"I haven't even left New Orleans."

"And?"

"Okay, but I still need to work some things out with Salvatore."

"Is that a _yes_?"

Her breath catches in her throat.

"Klaus—"

"Perfect. The papers will on your desk to sign on Monday."

"No, Klaus, something's—"

The phone slips from her shoulder as she clutches her chest.

Her bag slips from her left arm; she tries to bend down to pick up the phone again.

That's when her legs give out and she collapses on the stairs.

23.

Elijah has locked himself in his office for days and 'work' is such a weak excuse that no one has the heart to call him out.

Klaus flies back to New York because he never liked this goddamn city anyway.

Hayley paces around the house a nervous wreck because Klaus left without signing the custody papers and Elijah has been practically sleeping at the office this week and Hope is teething and won't stop crying.

Which leaves Rebekah to plan the funeral on her own.

"Please, Elijah," she begs her brother over the phone, "I don't know what flowers she would like."

"Please, Nik," she begs her brother over the phone, "what should I have engraved on the stone?"

They mumble their hurried answers into the phone then hang up just as quickly.

Perhaps it is true that everyone grieves in their own way; Elijah and Klaus have chosen to plunge back into work to avoid whatever feelings have surfaced in the wake of Katherine's sudden and unexpected death.

You would think that she had indeed just gone back to London, the way no one says her name or brings up the incident at the hotel.

The self-isolation gets to the point where Rebekah isn't even sure anyone will come to the funeral.

But they all show up Thursday, black umbrellas in the morning rain.

Elijah in his dark suit with darker eyes.

Hayley with Hope who fidgets and cries in her arms.

Interns, associates, and partners from all the M&S offices from all around the world.

Klaus, a conspicuous flask in hand, which Caroline keeps trying to take away from him.

Stefan Salvatore, who had to leave Elena at home because she shouldn't fly in her third trimester.

Rose-Marie, Meredith, Isobel and even Saltzman have taken off work to fly in.

And Damon Salvatore, in the back by the tree, quiet as the grave, just as drunk as Klaus.

The four founding partners of Mikaelson & Salvatore together again after nearly five years.

If anyone could do it, it's Katherine Pierce.

24.

It's Christmas again.

Hayley is just taking the cookies out of the oven when the door rings.

"I'll get it!"

She wipes her hands on her apron and opens the front door.

"Hayley."

"Klaus?"

"Forgive me, I didn't mean to show up unannounced but I was in the neighborhood."

"You were just in the neighborhood?"

"Visiting Katherine."

"Oh, um…well, come in."

Klaus steps across the threshold. Elijah meets them at the foot of the stairs.

"Brother."

"Niklaus…this is unexpected."

He opens his bag sheepishly.

"I…I wanted to give these to you in person."

He hands over the folder of documents to Elijah, who opens it confused.

"Is this what I think it is, Niklaus?"

"Indeed. All the papers are there, signed. Hayley now holds sole legal and residential custody of Hope and that's it: no contract, no legal fees, no disclosure agreement, no Affidavit of Paternity. I won't tell you how to raise our child, Hayley, but I am sure you…and Elijah…will do a better job than I could ever."

Elijah hands the papers to Hayley who holds them to her chest protectively.

"Thank you."

"Well, it is Christmas after all, the perfect time for miracles."

"We both appreciate you coming here today, Niklaus. Will you stay for dinner?"

Klaus wasn't planning to stay; then again, he wasn't expecting to be invited to.

"Why not. I do actually have one more bit of business with both of you."

Elijah offers his brother a drink as Hayley finishes dinner.

"Did you receive it? The will?" Klaus asks.

"It arrived at the office yesterday."

"Did you read it?"

"I…couldn't bring myself to," Elijah admits.

Klaus pulls something from his bag; of course he has it with him.

"Dinner and a show, I see."

"I think you should read it now, Elijah."

Setting his glass down, he takes the papers from his brother.

"And Hayley should be here for this."

Elijah raises his eyebrow at this before calling for Hayley.

She comes out, bouncing Hope in her arms.

"Hey, what's up?"

"It's Katherine's will."

She takes a seat on the couch, hushing the toddler.

"Shh, Hope, daddy's going to tell us a story."

So Elijah begins:

_Hello, beautiful people, _

Elijah rolls his eyes; Klaus grins like an idiot.

It's so Katherine it hurts.

_I'm dead, which I kind of knew was going to happen at some point. I hope you haven't been crying over me because I'm not worth the tears. If you really want to celebrate my life or blah blah, do it the Irish way and get wicked wasted in my honor. _

_Anyway, time for presents._

_I, Katherine Pierce, born Katerina Petrova, being of sound mind and gorgeous body do hereby give my Last Will and Testament. I appoint Damon Salvatore as the sole personal representative of my will and I give and appoint my personal representative the following duties and powers in respect to my estate. _

_To Damon Salvatore, my adoring boyfriend (yes boyfriend), I give all my London assets as detailed in the attached appendix as well as my house in Bulgaria, that you may return to my motherland when I cannot. Also, for the love of God, give Rose-Marie a raise._

_To Niklaus Mikaelson, my best friend, I give my New York assets, including the loft downtown, which I hope you turn into an art studio—it has fantastic light in the morning. Paint me something as pretty as I am._

_To Caroline Forbes (yes, you read that right), you have been a throne in my side but I have to respect a girl with as much style and ambition as you, sweetheart. Also, anyone who has to put with Klaus deserves a reward—so, to Caroline, I leave you my car, yes, the red one – be good to her._

_And finally to Elijah Mikaelson:_

_People talk about doors and windows closing and opening and whatnot, but in the case of you and me I believe something had to end for many great things to begin. No regrets, only the best of memories and my sincere desire for you to find happiness. And for that reason, to you, Elijah Mikaelson and to Hayley Marshall, I give -_

"What does it say, Elijah?"

"Keep reading, you'll see."

_-I give the remaining sum total of my wealth to be held in trust for your children until the time they should reach adulthood, at which time it should be used to go to college and to travel the world. May they experience all the love and joy that you have given me, especially when I least deserved it. _

_Be good to each other,_

_Signed Katherine Pierce in the presence of witness Klaus Mikaelson _

Elijah folded the letter, looking up at his brother.

"You knew she was writing this?"

"She told me while we were working your case that she'd been diagnosed and her doctors weren't very optimistic. That's why I wanted her back in New York—I had gotten her an appointment with the best cardiac specialist in the world."

A sad silence passes between brothers.

"As if anyone could ever tame a wild horse."

"I'm not even sure death can tie that girl down."

They raise their glasses.

"To Katherine."

"To Katerina."

25.

All the wives of the other lawyers talk about her as she walks down the aisle.

"She looks like a princess!"

"That dress must be worth a fortune."

"I've never seen Elijah look so happy, he's positively beaming!"

"Is that their daughter? What a sweetheart! A peach!"

"The best man? That must be Klaus, his brother."

"Wasn't he the lawyer who got Elijah off? Really, his brother?"

"I hear he runs the New York office."

"I hear he just proposed to his girlfriend, 17-carat ring. Lucky girl."

"What a messed-up family."

"Oh, stop. You just wish you had a handsome Mikaelson on your arm."

"Ladies, can we pay attention? The minister's starting."

They hush up to watch Hayley and Elijah exchange vows, but the ladies of New Orleans will be talking about this wedding for years.

At the reception, every single one comes up and congratulates the happy couple, some more ruefully than others.

"Congratulations, Hayley, you look beautiful."

"Lovely wedding, Elijah, thank you for inviting us."

"May I get a picture with you and your maid of honor, Mrs. Mikaelson?"

"Let's actually get a photo of the entire wedding party for the magazine, look here please!"

"So, Mr. Mikaelson, got any brothers who are still single?"

"One," Elijah laughs, "but I wouldn't wish Kol on anyone, Miss Bennett."

26.

Life at M&S goes on, as it always does.

Klaus can see the workmen through the glass of his office; they have been installing her portrait in the foyer all morning.

Below, the plaque reads _In memory of Katherine Pierce, the heart of Mikaelson & Salvatore._

It hangs by the main elevators, opposite the portraits of Damon and Stefan, Klaus and Elijah.

In her own way, Katherine Pierce does get her name on the wall.

Jenna blocks the doorway, waving her phone at him.

"It's Saltzman on line 2 about the Lockwood account again."

"What now?"

"He's advising Tyler to accept the merger before Moonstone Pharmaceuticals buys him out completely."

Klaus spins in his chair, picking up the phone from its cradle.

"Well, that's not happening on my watch; giving in definitely does not adhere to our 'what would Katherine do' policy. Let me deal with Saltzman, you take yourself out for a nice lunch – on the firm – you've earned it, especially since I heard Caroline in there earlier going over color schemes and table settings with you, my deepest apologies."

"Of course, thank you sir," Jenna beams. "And welcome back."

"Thanks, love, it's good to be home."

**AN: Reviews appreciated, I'd love to hear from you! **


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